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Berry gets easy to pick On the cutting edge Bling it on PACESETTER Hari Nayak
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Berry gets easy to pick New hardware, new software and latest models — a techie’s dream you might say. BlackBerry’s new Q5 has it all, even a low price. That alone, however, may not be enough to give it the numbers that the beleaguered company needs. As such, doubts were raised whether BlackBerry would be able to survive the onslaught of Android and iOS. It was then that company CEO Thorsten Heins announced the BlackBerry 10. The new OS, abbreviated as BB10, was expected to turn around the ailing company’s fortunes. The company’s losses were mounting quarter after quarter. Based on QNX, the OS claimed to match Android and iOS on the parameters of feature and performance. After the initial delay, BB10 was finally launched in January this year. The first in the series was the BlackBerry Z10. It was followed by Q10. However, both the phones failed to create the momentum and the buzz; the company was expecting. A major reason behind the lukewarm reception of the two phones by consumers was that these phones were targeted at a premium audience, and priced on the higher side.
Pocket-friendly price Realising this, the company introduced a budget device running on BB10 software, christened as BlackBerry Q5. Announced in May, the phone made its way to the Indian shores recently. At present, when touch-screen phones are ruling the roost, BlackBerry has decided to include a physical QWERTY keyboard on the Q5. That makes it stand out among a dying breed of smartphones (the other one being Q10, which also happens to be a BlackBerry product). But then, BlackBerry is best known for its QWERTY keypad-based phones. The Q5 has been priced at Rs 24,990, making it the most affordable BB10 device so far. BlackBerry has made considerable compromises to keep the price of the Q5 in check. The more apt comparison of the phone would be with the Q10, since it happens to be another QWERTY keypad based handset.
Smart features The Q5 comes with a 3.1-inch display, offering a resolution of 720 x 720 pixels. This translates into a pixel density of 328ppi, which falls in the retina category. This phone, like the other two BB10 devices, offers touchscreen input, which is a norm for smartphone these days. At the heart of the phone lies a snapdragon S4 1.2GHz dual-core processor paired with 2GB RAM. The combination is more than capable of running most of the apps and games without a hiccup. The 8GB memory on the phone is sufficient for most users’ storage needs, and if not, there’s also a microSD slot for
expansion.
Blackberry Q5 comes equipped with a 5 megapixel camera which, unfortunately, falls short when compared to the 8 megapixel cameras seen on the other phones in this price bracket. Still, the camera can record 1080p videos without much effort. The Q5 comes with the largest battery among the three BB10 devices, which should make it last comfortably through a day’s heavy use. Snappy software Coming to the software, BlackBerry Q5 runs on BB10.1. The OS was introduced to replace the ageing BB7 software found on older BlackBerry models. BB10 (or 10.1 after a minor update last month) is a significant improvement over its predecessor and brings with it a host of new features. It was designed keeping in mind the touch interface. The OS makes heavy use of hand movements to navigate around the phone. A quick swiping motion from the bottom brings up the home screen, while swiping from the top brings the quick settings menu. However, there are a lot of other movements needed. These can take some time to learn, but can make navigating the phone easy and quick. The OS itself feels fast and fluid with support for multi-tasking, voice control and the BlackBerry hub. BlackBerry hub integrates all social accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Email client and BlackBerry Messenger in one app, and provides notifications from the same at one place. It allows one to compose and send e-mails and browse social networks, without accessing other apps, thus saving time and effort. BlackBerry Messenger is as useful as ever, allowing the user to share texts and voice messages and even calling other users over WiFi. BlackBerry has seen its market share erode in the West, including Europe and the US. It is markets like India and the Middle East, where the company is hoping to get back on its feet once more. In price-conscious markets like India, one needs to have a phone that targets the masses by keeping the price low. However, the BlackBerry Q5 does leave something to be desired. At its asking price, there are many other phones available that offer better hardware and come with a much more potent OS as well. Had the phone been priced close to Rs 20,000, it may have brought in a lot more customers to the ailing Canadian company. Yet die-hard BlackBerry fans will find the Q5 a delight that doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune.
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On the cutting edge From the conventional knife, fork and spoon to the arcane foon, spife or knork, the worldwide demand for cutlery is adapting to the changing times and tastes The meal in modern households is no longer the main event, and the implements to make food travel from the plate to the mouth are not important anymore. Unmindful eating, besides being a habit sneered upon by medical experts, is making cutlery redundant and reducing it to an ornamental appeal. Table
etiquette Time was when the process of eating was an important occasion not just to satiate hunger but to display immaculate table manners and demonstrate grace and working knowledge of forks, knives and spoons placed on either side of the dining plate. In many up-end homes, special emphasis was laid upon the importance of protocol on the dining table. Because such occasions, young people were told, could arrive at a formal business lunch, a meal with a loved one at a swish restaurant or a dinner at an important family gathering. The idea was not to display an obsessive wisdom about using cutlery but to appear sophisticated in stylish company. Thankfully despite the widespread predilection for fast food, the demand for classy cutlery has not diminished, even as high-end hotels and stand-alone fine-dine restaurants are keeping alive the art of indulgent eating. Decorative knives, forks and spoons, with a variety of rounded handles, long handles, weighted handles, flat handles and ivory handles are back on the menus and are being used to elevate one of our most primary needs for food into an art
form. For centuries, cutlery has been used by humankind to scoop up food. There is a mention of spoons and knives during the fourth and fifth centuries, though the fork came to the dining table much later — perhaps in the 10th century — and its main function was to pull out meat and vegetables from boiling pots. Design refinement Over the ages, great refinement was made to cutlery and various elements of design were infused to bring it to the current style. Cutlery-making skills received a major boost in the 17th century when Sheffield, a city in England, where the best British steel was made, began manufacturing knives, spoons and forks in steel and silver. Suddenly, these pieces became family heritage. Sets of knives, spoons, forks were passed on from generation to generation as heirlooms to be used and also displayed in frames, if they were made of gold, silver or any other precious metal. A connoisseur will tell you that not all cutleries are born equal. There are subtle variations that distinguish one set from another. The groupings include the Prism Flatware, which is a timeless classic with long handles and large spoons. The Artik Cutlery comprises forks with projected points and rounded handles. Varied styles There is the City Flatware with weighted handles that provide great equilibrium. Then, there is the Bettina Flatware is marked with seductive curves. Similarly, there are many more categories and varied styles which can be paired with other tableware. Formal meals usually have more than one knife and fork. On the outside left is the appetiser fork and nearest to the plate is the main eating fork. On the right of the plate is the appetiser knife followed by the main knife. The soup and eating spoons are in front of the plate. Proper etiquettes dictate that when you start talking while eating, the knife should be placed horizontally on the plate and crossed over with the fork making the formation of the letter ‘X’. When you have finished eating, the knife and fork should be placed facing upwards parallel to each other in the centre of the plate. New terminology However, in the modern era, the meaning of cutlery is coming in for a number of dramatic changes and a lot of new terminology has come to be added to it. You can now eat with modern-day implements like a foon (a blend of fork and spoon), spife (spoon and knife) or knork (knife and fork). However, if you are a stickler and want the traditional combination of spoon, knife and fork, you can simply ask for the sporfe, which is a three-in-one combo. But no matter what shape the forks, spoons and knives take, the fact is these are not going to go away in a hurry. There is a growing demand both for budget cutlery made from steel and plastic costing a few rupees to high-end sets in gold and silver which can cost in lakhs. As long as food has to be lifted from the plate to the mouth, cutlery will be around in one form or the other. The conventional and the esoteric will co-exist. Shape of things to come Apart from the foon, spife, knork and sporf, cutlery comes in many exotic — and bizarre shapes and sizes. Take for example the EasyFit cutlery set. This has been designed for those who like their fast food but also worry about not burning
enough calories. The wacky knife-fork-spoon combo is shaped like a dumbbell and weighs as much. The knife and fork weigh in at one
kilo each and the spoon tilts the scale at two kilos. The idea is that you work your muscles with every bite you take! Or take the case of the HAPIfork. This is a vibrating fork that can monitor exactly how much you eat with the help of electronic sensors. If you are eating too quickly, it will vibrate in your mouth to tell you to slow down and eat mindfully. It stores this data directly in your
computer or smart phone. Eating slowly also helps you lose weight. RUBY LANE This antique six piece ivory set from online retailer Ruby Lane has hand-engraved silver-plated designs on blades featuring anchor-shell motifs. All pieces are fitted with genuine ivory handles and are a reminder of the past when formal eating
was a matter of elegance and sophistication. Price: Rs 8,100 NEWBRIDGE The Newbridge collection of premium stainless steel cutlery is designed for the modern household. The 24-piece silver Celtic cutlery set can be used both for casual and formal dining as it is long-lasting and does not lose its shine and lustre. It adds to your dining elegance for a long
time. Price: Rs 15,500
ANDRE VERDIER This vintage ivory handle cutlery set from France's leading Andre Verdier Coutellerie is made of professional quality stainless steel and coloured resin. The set features the trademark symbol of the Bee and is handmade. The stunning cutlery comes in a wooden box with a certificate of authenticity. Price: Rs 15,000
ARTHUR PRICE Experience the sophistication of using the premium cutlery collection
from Arthur Price. This luxury king sovereign silver-plated 124-piece cutlery set for 12 people epitomises the very best in English craftsmanship and carries an unconditional lifetime guarantee. Harley cutlery from Viners is elegant and has enduring good looks. It is decorative without being overly ornate and shows the influence of the British Art Deco style. This 44-piece set, made from high quality steel, is polished
to a long-lasting finish and comes with a 50-year guarantee. Price: Rs
16,200
This award-winning 30-piece cutlery set comprising six tablespoons, six forks,
six table knives, six teaspoons and six cake forks comes from German company WMF Taika. It is extremely slim in design and the cutlery design establishes a link to the Asian gastronomic culture.
Price: Rs 45,000
The French brand Christofle has been a leading symbol of luxurious cutlery since the 19th century. Its silver-plated Jardin d'Eden collection is in baroque style and features interlaced leaves, flowers and curls found in a lush garden. Each piece is for a very special
occasion. Price: Rs 7,200 per piece
GEORG JENSEN ‘ALFREDO THE TWIST’ FAMILY
This is a wonderful gift for children. The Twist Family cutlery set from Danish designing company Georg Jensen’s Alfredo collection features hand-sketched drawings of a mother, father, son, and a daughter. Made of mirror-polished stainless steel, the set is just the gift children will
love. Price: Rs 5,400
BABIES'R'US
The cutlery set for toddlers from Babies'R'us a part of the world toy leader Toys'R'us will make your little one feel grown up at meal time. Lightweight and easy to hold, this set allows kids to move from soft handled feeding spoons to metal cutlery easily. Pack includes fork, knife and spoon. Price:
Rs 600
CUTIPOL GOA
At Portugal’s Cutipol cutlery, hands-on craftsmanship is paired with modern technology to produce this superb set of 24 pieces. Called Cutipol Goa, these pieces with black resin handle and hand-polished stainless steel head draw their inspiration from Portugal’s erstwhile Indian
colony. Price: Rs 10,500
DAVID MELLOR PRIDE British cutlery designer David Mellor's iconic 'Pride' range of silver plated cutlery is inspired by early 20th century metalwork
designs. The 24-piece silver-plated set comes in a handmade black stained oak box and is an ideal wedding present for someone you
value. Price: Rs 63,000
Toyo Ito MU
The elegant 24-piece cutlery from the Japanese design house Toyo Ito is a head-turner. It is a part of the ‘MU’ series, which means hexagon in Japanese. The imaginative designers at Toyo Ito have made the cutlery handles like chopsticks and these can be held in the same way as well. Price: Rs 25,500
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BIRD OF PARADISE
ALMOST-PERFECT BEER
MUSEUM ART
JUST BAG IT
FORTUNE FOR A VINTAGE
BILLIONAIRE’S CUBE
VIRTUAL WORKOUT
‘INSANE’ MOBILE
WATER OF LIFE
LET THE WIZARDING GAMES BEGIN
HEADY BLING
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For him, good food makes people happy Celebrity chef Hari Nayak has been critically acclaimed for his take on Indian cuisine and is passionate about acquainting the West with it Jaya Srivastava He uses the lovely seasons, his childhood memories and Indian spices as his inspiration in the professional kitchen. It was his passion for good food and cooking that marked his entrance to the world of herbs and spices. Hari Nayak is one of the few chefs who have dared to transform traditional Indian food into its modern variant, marking the arrival of Indian cuisine on the world map. His sheer fondness for the culinary arts helped him to carve out the career of a restaurateur, author and a celebrity chef. He is nostalgic of the times when he first decided become a chef. Even though this profession was not considered as a mainstream professional career, he is grateful for the support of his parents to pursue his dream. He considers the time he graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, as his entry to the life of a professional chef. During his early days in United States, there was a lot to do, learn and adjust to in an unfamiliar country. He considers those times as being some of toughest ones he has faced. “The struggle was the growing initial period in a foreign land away from your family. You are expected to work long hours with little appreciation. But it seems all worth it at the end.” Hari now is the author of four books, including his bestseller, Modern Indian Cooking (co-authored by Vikas Khanna); he has pioneered America’s first ice-cream patisserie, Halo Fete and owns a number of critically acclaimed restaurants in New York and New Jersey. Talking about his culinary heroes, he instantly responds, “I have to give credit to a few master chefs in India like Imtiaz Qureshi, Sanjeev Kapoor who inspired me. Watching cooking shows on television featuring great chefs like Martin Yen, Graham Kerr and Julia Child too inspired me.” Later, he went on to work under the legendary Alain Ducasse, who he credits with instilling in him discipline and respect for high-quality ingredients.” He devotes a part of his time to philanthropic causes. Along with celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, Hari Nayak is the co-founder of Cooking for Life, a charity foundation that holds culinary events in order to improve the lives of people who are in need. He finds it extremely important to give back to society. He has been resolutely involved with organising fund-raising culinary events for social causes. Hari attributes the recollections he has of his childhood in India as being the foundation for the person and the chef he is today. “Shopping for fresh seafood in a seaside fish market with my father and picking fresh produce and fruits with my mom at the weekly farmers’ market are memories that I cherish. I will always remember my family dining table; enjoying great family meals and seeing people smile eating good food.” As for his mantra of success, he believes there’s no short cut. “One has to work hard, take risks, learn from mistakes and put in the hours that are needed to go above and beyond than what is required.” He believes that food should be kept simple. It should evoke memories. “Good food makes people happy! And I am lucky that I am in the right profession that I have the power to make people happy!”
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New hardware, new software and latest models — a techie’s dream you might say. BlackBerry’s new Q5 has it all, even a low price. That alone, however, may not be enough to give it the numbers that the beleaguered company needs.
As such, doubts were raised whether BlackBerry would be able to survive the onslaught of Android and
iOS. It was then that company CEO Thorsten Heins announced the BlackBerry 10.
From the conventional knife, fork and spoon to the arcane foon, spife or knork, the worldwide demand for cutlery is adapting to the changing times and tastes
However, as good as it may be, the OS is still the Achilles’ heel of Q5. The App Store on BlackBerry 10 still feels nascent when compared to iOS or Android. With around 1,30,000 apps, it stands nowhere close to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, both of which have close to a billion apps now. Several apps like Temple Run and Instagram, which are quite popular among the youth, are absent from the BlackBerry World (the official name for the app store).
Manners, goes an old English adage, maketh a man. But in these hurried times silver cutlery, formal dining table settings and polite eating etiquettes are on the endangered list. Even as an increasing number of people park themselves in front of television sets at mealtime and gobble down food, the art of elegant eating has taken a backseat. 
Toucans are a cut between a parrot and a woodpecker and are only found between Mexico and northern Argentina in the Amazonian rainforest. But you can now bring the megabird home. Swarovski has crafted the magnificent Toucan perched on a fancy stand in faceted black diamond crystal with eyes in erinite crystal, bill in green beryl and topaz and peacock blue crystal. The Swarovski Paradise Mega Bird Toucan can be the conversation piece of any drawing room
Price: Rs 57,000 ($950)
In these times of recession it is best to stick to stuff that is classy and (well!) inexpensive. Like the Delirium Tremens beer. Almost all experts consider this as one of the finest and almost-perfect beers ever to be produced in the world. The Belgian golden brewed by the Huyghe brewery is a triple-fermented beer. It uses three different yeasts to create a highly distinctive brew with a golden colour, creamy head, lightly hopped flavour and long, sweet aftertaste. Besides its unique zest, its original packing (which resembles cologne in a ceramic bottle) and the colourful label, contribute to its success. The label depicts the different phases of production of Delirium Tremens, with its Pink Elephant symbol becoming an icon in most western countries.
Price: Rs 420 a bottle ($7)
Artificial island to house Asia’s largest private art museum. That art takes liberties in the name of artistic licence is well known. But this is pushing the art boundaries a bit far. The Pingtan Art Museum in the Fujian Province of China is no ordinary museum. For one, it is the biggest private museum of Asia which will display over a thousand pieces of art, including China’s national treasures. And secondly—hold your breath — it is on an island that has been created artificially. The structure has a fluid form of undulating landscape with cave-like interiors and walls of concrete mixed with local sand and shell, making the museum building a piece of art in itself.
What do you do with the paperbag after you have had your lunch? Most of us just chuck it away. But if you have the Compleat FoodBag, it may not be a good idea to shove it in the garbage. Simply because it is a reusable lunch box that keeps food fresh and protected in transit and rolls up compactly when the meal is over. Norwegian company Unikia has updated the plain old bag. It has completely sealed it at the bottom so that the bag can act as a container for any type of food, from sandwiches to paranthas and even soup. Made primarily from silicone, it rolls back into a small cylinder, making it easy to carry your office lunch day after day and is even perfect for a picnic.
Price: Rs 780 ($13)
Like vintage wine, Mercedes-Benz cars get better with age. How else would you explain the fact that at a recent auction Juan Manuel Fangio’s 1954 Mercedes W196 F1 Silver Arrow smashed the world record and became the most-expensive car which went to an unknown telephone bidder. What is it that makes the car so special? For one, only 14 Silver Arrows were ever made. Ten still exist — three are in museums and six with the Mercedes-Benz company. That leaves the recently auctioned beauty making it the only post-war Silver Arrow in private hands. Reason enough for it to fetch a king’s ransom.
Auctioned for: Rs 186 crore ($31 million)
Ever since it was first introduced in 1974 by Erno Rubik, a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, Rubik’s Cube has sold over 400 million pieces, making it one of the most popular and reasonably priced toy-puzzles. Now on the eve of the fortieth anniversary, comes a Cube that very few people around the world may be able to afford. America-based Diamond Cutters International has created a spectacular masterpiece in 18-carat yellow gold with the classic coloured panels encrusted with 185-carats white diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies. It consists of a 22.5-carat amethyst, 34-carat emerald and a 34-carat ruby, making it a toy for the uber rich.
Price: Rs 15 crore (2.5 million)
The digital world is spawning devices that were in the realm of fantasy just a few years ago. Take the case of Virtuix Omni Virtual Reality Treadmill. To be launched in January 2014, it takes exercising to a different plane. Here you play a 3-D video game while walking and even sprinting through virtual worlds in special shoes. As you’re doing all of this walking, jumping, and crouching, Omni software will track your distance travelled and calories burned along the way. The Omni package will include the base and shoes, as well as a support safety belt so that you don’t topple over. Come January 2014, don’t even think of enrolling in a gym. Buy a virtual Omni instead for all your cardio exercises in a digital world.
Proposed price: Rs 25,800 ($430)
That it is an insane price to pay for a smartphone is borne by the name of the new opulent mobile by Geneva-based luxury brand Savelli. Called the Black Insane, it has been specially designed for women and runs on the Google Android operating system. An 18-karat white gold phone, with 75 baguette-cut white diamonds amounting to 7.88 carats, it has a feminine and curvaceous shape just like the lady who will own it. To highlight that point, France’s top model Julia Restoin Roitfield has been signed to be the smartphone’s muse, giving it the appropriate touch of oomph.
Price: Rs 69 lakh ($115,000)
Though water is a source of life, contaminated water can translate into a health disaster. In a normal environment one can control the quality of water one consumes but what happens when you are on a long journey and may have to depend on a natural source of water or a municipality tap? The answer is a jerrycan from UK-based company Lifesaver. The can holds up to 18.5 litres of water and has an in-built mechanism to filter all known viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, without the aid of any chemicals like iodine or chlorine. So, the next time you are going hiking, mountaineering or fishing, take this jerrycan with you and stay longer in the great outdoors.
Price: Rs 22,800 ($380)
This amazingly detailed chess set is a remarkable recreation of the ‘Final Challenge’ as seen in the film
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Made by the Noble Collection, the 32 pieces are crafted to exact detail in cold-cast zinc and injection moulding. The set has a timeless aesthetic quality with all stoic-looking figurines dressed in armour. From the rook to the knight on horseback, each piece is unique in its form. And whether you love the game of chess or Harry Potter, this set is bound to cast a spell on you.
Price: Rs 28,500 ($475)
Music afficianados who like to add glitter to their ears have something to sing about—the iWave Crystal Headphones with Swarovski Elements. Encrusted with 6,500 crystals, the headphones take more than 10 hours to be carefully hand-set by a professional. However, don’t let the bling dazzle you into buying these headphones. Check the performance of the headphones. Their natural surround-sound technology offers three-dimensional sound and an 8-35000 Hz frequency range, making it a pulsating musical experience.
Price: Rs 1.20 lakh ($2,000)